Ishigami Byakuya was a kind man. He showed great compassion to others. His eyes always held hope even when facing the hardest problems in life.
January 4, 20XX, was another year for Ishigami Senku's birthday. Byakuya was hurrying home, cake in hand, excited to celebrate the rest of the day with his son. It was raining, making it harder for him to be able to go home, but it was a good thing that he managed to bring an umbrella.
ーa small sneeze.
Byakuya saw a huddled child at the sidewalk. His clothes soaking wet, making it obvious to see that the child had been in the rain for hours. His complexion pale as he tried to keep himself warm.
One can quickly conclude what the child was doing out in the rain, alone. It had a high possibility of the child being abandoned.
"Young boy... where are your parents?" Despite what he had thought, Byakuya still wanted to make sure. Maybe the child only ran away from home in a rush due to some unknown conflict.
The child looked at him, and Byakuya was momentarily shocked to see a rare eye color. It didn't look like yellow as it was more of a golden color, accompanied with a shade of purple with it.
ーHe had just woken up and it was sososo cold. He was freezing and all he wanted was to collapse and faint just to alleviate the pain. But his body won't let him. The rain long seeped into his clothes, but after what seems to be hours, the rain stopped. It was still raining but the rain that fell on him stopped. He looked up and saw a man looking at him with worry while holding an umbrella to cover him.
"No... I have no.. parents... none." The small trembling voice of the child made him look more pitiful and sickly.
Another sneeze and Byakuya's heart throb painfully.
"Do you want to come with me for a while?" Byakuya did his best to not sound like a creepy old man. After a few seconds, all he got was a stare from the child.
"It's my son's birthday! I'm sure he would like some company!" Byakuya knew that Senku wasn't one who liked the company of others and would rather spend his time twiddling with his own devices. But seeing an abandoned child like this, alone in the rain, he knew he would feel guilty for as long as he lived if he ignores the child.
"Mister..." the boy spoke again, but now his voice gaining clarity and less trembling.
And after that, Byakuya heard an unexpected follow-upー
"... are you a pedophile?"
The child woke up screaming.
He felt momentary seeping pain. Right down to his very core.
It all felt so real.
And he felt tired. So tired.
Dizzy. Unfocused.
Bewildered on where he was.
That was only a moment...
And then he forgot.
He forgot what he was screaming about. He forgot where the pain came from or its cause. He cannot remember why he was so tired. All he could remember was his name, his dead parents, the empty apartment.
Him being abandoned.
And so he ran out of that uncomfortable place. It felt terrifying to stay inside a dark dirty smelly room. He felt so alone.
So he ran.
Outside, under the torrent of rain.
Ran.
Ran.
Ran.
To escape his confusion and to leave that suffocating place.
He ran until he cannot anymore.
And he waited, at a corner. Waiting for nothing because he had no one. There was no one back at his home. There was no one he knew as a friend or acquaintance.
He was a child. So young, so weakー alone and cold.
He didn't know what to do.
But then he met him
.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ
A̵̵͓̲̪̱̺̗͕͇̔̒̃̐ͤ͂̽ ͔̟͎͖̫̿ͥͧ͐͂͠f̖̖̩̼̙͚̫̰͋̿a̲̳͎̹̭̬̰͛̆̇̎̚ͅm̺̰̬͙̦̘̹̘͛̃ͯ̃̍ͬͥi̯̖̗̜͆ͯͫͩͪ̈́ͅl̳̈͊ḭ͓̏͛̇̍͛͊̽a̤͕̹̙͚ͩ̂ͥ́͌ͬͭ̐́͞ŗ̰̲͕̉ͣ ̧̰͎͖̤̮̇͛̑̎̓̕f̰̮̌͊ͣ̎̿ͥ̇ͮ͡a̗͉̳̋̆ͦ͘c̴̙͇̫̼̠͓͇ͧͪ͂ͭe̡̘̗͇̤͕̟͓̘̓̑ͦ͘.̸̰̪̘͓̙̻͚̐̓̎͞
.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ
Senku was a smart child for his age and so he knew that his father was busy with work. No matter how much he was disregarded of parental affection, he didn't want to admit it but he treasures his father.
His father who understands him, and tolerates his personality. His father gave him the things he likes and allows him to do whatever he wants. That was why no matter how much neglect he experiences on a daily basis, he still loves his father.
"I'm home!" Senku heard a voice from the front door, accompanied with the sound of the door. He didn't want to seem excited for his father's arrival, and so he calmly took his steps one-by-one.
"W-Welcome home. You said you had a present for me, it better not be one of those silly fairy tale books agaiーn..." Senku's vioce faded out as he saw his father holding a towel and drying a soaking wet stranger, a kid who looked older than him.
"Oh Senku! Wait for a moment, alright! I got you some cake." His father helped the unknown child, wrapping several towels around the child's body.
"... Father, who is..." Senku trailed off unsure of what to say as his father acted as if he just brought home an abandoned dog rather than a human.
"Oh! Well, you see...! This is... uhhh..." Byakuya didn't know the child's name.
So you brought a child home not knowing who he was.... Father, this can be considered as kidnapping. Senku though and flashed his father a deadpan look.
"Hikari..." the two Ishigami's turned their eyes at the child.
"That's my name... Hikari." An awkward silence passed.
ーthen a sneeze.
"Sorry for intruding..." Hikari murmured and looked straight at Senku as if asking for forgiveness.
Senku was flustered at the thought that he had been found out. It was not like he minded it that much. He was just surprised at the stupidity of his father at some times.
"That... bath, you need one." Senku reached out and held Hikari's hand and felt that it was freezing.
Byakuya watched as the children interacted with each other, a tender look of a parent present on his face. It looks like he will be busy for the next few days.
Despite his earlier discomfort for the stranger, Senku was now scurrying around Hikari, genuinely worried to the other due to how cold his whole body was.
Cases of hypothermia were rare but if not treated immediately, may cause permanent damages to the body or so Senku had read in some book.
"You can use some of dad's shirts. My clothes are small for you, so you have to bear with his old man scent in the meantime." Hikari watched as Senku prepared the water for him. Even though the child was younger than him, he(S) acted more mature, calm, and self-collected. Unlike how ge was hours ago.
"...sen..ku..." the red-eyed boy looked behind him in shock, thinking that he might have misheard.
"...yes...?" Senku treaded carefully.
Hikari easily noticed that he might have been unheard due to how small his voice was when he said his name.
"Your name... right?..." Hikaru asked, anxious if he got it wrong. He might have misheard what the man said before since he only called the other once.
"Yeah, Senku is my name. You called for me right? What did you need?" Senku saw Hikari moved towards him. Even with their slight height difference, the gesture that Hikari did made it look like Senku was older.
W̭͍̪͇ͨ̄͛͊͗h̘͚̪͕ͪ̅ͦ̈́̎ͩa͕̙̯ͬt̟̳̜͚̗̦̎ ̙̼̬͇̲̻̪͑a͙̬̜͑̊ ̬͑f̣̥͎aͪm̼ͦͯ̀ǐ̛̥̆̊̄l̮̻̣̤͓ͮ̏ͯ̓̅a̩̮̱̝̞̤ͅi̴̱̤̮ͅr̲̖̝͎̃ͦ̐͞ ̪͕̱͉̫̻ͮ̏̅͗ͅn̡̰̯͚̰ͨ̅ͬ̍͋ą͍̫̬̻ͫ̆̽̽̆ͥ̏m̡̟̝̬͗ͧͩ͛ḙ͉̯̼̺̬̓̀.̶̰͔ͯ.ͫ͏͕.͉̘̝̝͔̲̀͛̀ͤͭ͝ͅ
̴̭̫͖̋̓̊͂
̺̽̔͆̍̐̋̀W̨̮̐̊̍ͤ̋̂h̃͋y̡̹ͬ͋͊̂̉ ̝͔͇̩̍̅̈́̒̊͆͗͢ẁ̭̈ͧͣ̀a̎̎̿̔͐ͬs͋͌̇̅̾̅͏ ̙̦̳̞̣͈ͣ̌̃̄̅i̎́̆ͯͩͭt͙͌ͭ̊̈̎̈́̃͘ ̺̊̆̚f̗ͯ̄̄ͦ̐̿̈́å͉͈̺̥̎̒̈̚ṃ̷̻̼̋͊i̟̰̳͔̬ͦ̏̓ľ̬̯̇̽̕ï̪̜͊̒̓̓͐a͕͖͒̅͒̀̏͑r̳͊̾ͦͬ̌̓?̜͓͓̮̂̎ͅ
Hikari walked close to Senku, his hands reaching to tug at the latter's long sleeves.
"Senku... thank you..." Hikari said with a smile, leaving Senku who had seen it flustered at the unexpected actions from the other.
"That... Thー You don't have to say thank you or anything. Here, clothes, the water is also ready so make sure to warm up!" Cue Senku leaving in a rush.
Hikari was left alone, he stared at the clothes in hand, and placed them at the prepared rack. Noticing the mirror in front of him, he stared at his own reflection.
.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ
.̨͙͓̠̲͕͑̿ͅe̟͔̋͋c̡̼̬̮̞̥̼̺ͦ͑ͥ͛ͧ͐a̲͖̜ͦ̋͑͂͐̓̉f̞̣̪̗̫̺ͥ̈ ̣͊͛̏̏̀e͙̜̹͙̮͌m̡̗̤̥̮͒̒ͩͧ̉̃̑a̞̻̭͎̳̯̥̐ͮs̡̱̦̠̦͆͒ͫͅ ȅ̛̋͋̌̋ḫ̣̀ͣ͋͜t͉̻͈̰̙͇ͥ̑̾ͭ̀̌ͅ ͙̮͚͓͍̯̟ͦ̂̐̄e̶̞̞̺̠̳ͥ̍ͪ̓̍ͥv̦̻̼̞ͦ̽̃͋̊̓ͯa̜̬̤̳͔̙ͤ͋ͦ̄̚͡h̡̥̙̎̑ ̩̦̤̰̳̘̭̑ͣ̔ͫ͑l̶͖̓̉͆ͬ̇͐l̺̍ͥͭ̇̊ǐ̧̇̀͗ț̶͍̬̜͖̩̈̏̆̽͌́ͬͅs̸̙̼̑̐̄ ̧̳͓̗̥͙̄u̸͎̗͋̉̽ͦo̞̱̬̻̊̍̏ẏ̝̰̃̈́ͯͨ̀ ͈̰͍͕̗͚̙̈́̈́̋,̜̣̳̤̤ͫ͐
s͍͙̼͓̥̦̈̽̒̑ͧȇ͕̦̮̖̄̊͗̆̚v̛̦͚͕̘̳̺̅i̫̓̐l̲̙͋̓̚ ̢̱͚̙̼̬̯͙͐͊̏̀̄ͫ̚t̷̞͙̲̮ͯ̃̓̆n̰ͯ̊̍̅ͬ̚͝e͓͐̐͌̄r̵͙͓̙̙̄̀̌̌̓e̢͇̣͐͌͑͆̂̿f̻̲ͬ͑f̃̈̓ͪ̅̆́i̶͇̟̩̖̓̾͑̎̒͊̿d͖́͋ͪ̋ͧ̕ͅ ͕͎̯̬̎̃̉̐͝h̶ͬ̈́̅ģ̰̝̞̔ͤ̃u̜̱͍̭̤̩ͮ̿͋ͤͬ͞ò̝̖̎̅̿̓r̬̤̭͊̅ͭͯ̎̿̌͡h̰̮̒̓ͮͯt̖̣̱̮͔̰̔ͭ̆ͧ̈͑ ̣̣̯͓̔̎ͅn̦̙͉̭̼͎e̥ͨ̓ͥ̔ͥͭ̈́v̠̳̰͕͇͕̯ͬͩ͒ͮ̿E͎͎̱̠̫̮͛̌̎͐
̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ.̯̝̱̪̦̐́̋̓̍́.̰̼̘̓ͯͭͧ͘͟.̡͉̳͇̺͔ͥͨ̅ͨ̋͋ͬ̚͟.̓ͭ̌̂ͧͭͮ̂҉̯͎̲͈̬̗̤̭̀.̵̭̥̯͉͈̖̖̄̕.̟̈ͩͪ͘͡.̪̞̠̞̺̘͆͋̏̎̉̚.̵̨̦͖͉ͯͩ͐.̡̞͔̩̣̱̞͓̏͐̌̍̂ͧ̉ͣ͟ͅ.̜͓̬̟̳̀̽̒̈́̈̆.̴͉̬̪̹̐̋.̤͎̭̞̰̝̿̑ͣ͗ͬ͛̆.̟̻͇͈̟̄̓̍̐ͮͩ̌ͤ.̺̖͈̠̺͇ͭ̽͟.̣̠͚̰̹̂̽͋̚͜.̞̜͚̤̾ͤ̂͑͞.̹̝̇ͤ̌ͬ̾.͙͖̗̟͓͍̌̍̾̌̆͠.̝͍̳̍ͨͫ̃͒ͬ͜.̢̝̠̳̣̺ͤ̓͢ͅ
His eyes momentary flashed, and made his head hurt.
"No... no... this time... it won't... I wouldn't.."
It was all so familiar.
Why?
I don't even know you.
I've never even met you before.
Yet, why do I seem to know you?